A Dozen secrets Beth knows and one she dosen't
by sam1856
Summary: there are a dozen secrets beth knows about daryl, but there is one thing that everyone else knew about him and she didnt. she wont mind when she finds out though. please r&r i know its a little long but i think its worth it. enjoy the fluffiness that is bethyl. xx


**A/N so here's that little one shot I've been promising, sorry its turned out so long, there was just so much to fit in lol. Hope you all enjoy it though, and no it doesn't fit in with my other stories, it's a stand alone. Inspired by boondock saints a little and my drunken brother who swore it was st paddys day. Lol.**

**Enjoy the mindless fluff.**

Beth knows a dozen things about Daryl that nobody else does, and yes she prides herself on that fact a little. Although it all seems irrelevant now... she seemed to miss one of the biggest things about him, and everyone else knew, so maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

Still, even if that one big one is out, she holds a dozen of his finest secrets.

**1.**

**Daryl never touched drugs.**

Well anything you can smoke doesn't count, but he never did pills or needles. Everyone thought he did, it's not that he looks like a druggy, but he knows stuff about it. He carried those pills around for a while, the ones he gave to T-dog, and every time they go into a pharmacy, Daryl is the go-to guy to ask what's for what... well now Bob does it too, but still, Daryl knows allot.

So everyone just presumes he was some sort of pill popper or something.

Beth knows this isn't true. She remembers him back on the farm, after he'd been all messed up looking for Sophia. Her daddy had told her to take up his lunch and make sure he took his meds.

She did so, and she only discovered it because she's so clumsy, she forgot to grab the breakfast dishes as she left, when she swung the door back open she saw Daryl dropping the pills behind the bed head.

'_What are you doing?' She asked._

_He scowled at her, and she honestly considered that he might drag his butt out of that bed and strangle her to death for asking him._

'_Daddy said you have to take them Mister Dixon.' She answered, determined not to let him scare her._

'_Ain't no pill popper, never have been never will be.' He spat at her._

_Beth frowned and stepped forward slightly. 'They're not drugs... they're antibiotics and painkillers.'_

'_Pills aren't they?' He replied bluntly._

_Beth chewed on her cheek for a moment before speaking again. 'Daddy said you're pretty messed up... if you don't take them... you could die of infection.'_

_Daryl shrugged. 'Then I die, I ain't takin' no pills.' He frowned at the look on her face, was she confused? Uneasy? Scared? He took a deep breath and softened his voice a little. 'Can't do it... wont, even that doctor stuff can get ya hooked.'_

_Beth's eyes darted around the room for a moment before settling back on him. 'They're important Mister Dixon.'_

_He sighed softly at her concerned but firm voice. 'It's important that I don't... just don't tell ya old man k?... please?'_

_Beth nodded, and left the grumpy man to his own devices, if he wanted to go dying of infection, let him go._

So yeah, Daryl never took drugs, he never corrects people about it either. And when the Woodbury kids or Carl... ask what it's like to be high, or if Rick or someone cracks a joke aimed at Daryl and his drug dealing past, he either tells them what he's seen Merle do, or just accepts it... he never corrects them.

Beth is fairly sure she is the only person who knows he's never taken drugs.

**2.**

**Daryl knows cars.**

That in itself is not a secret, everyone knows he's good with cars, just no one knows why, Maggie even thinks it's because of his criminal history, it makes sense. Why else would you know how to hotwire a car in under a minute?

Beth knows he never stole a car before the turn, no one would believe that, but she does. She was there, as they all were when he stole his first one.

Daryl has told her a little more than that, why he's good with cars, he's explained it. Why he looks at some cars with peeling paint on the bonnet and kept walking, why sometimes he wires a car and then shuts it down, he knows the pings and the rumbles that matter, and the ones that don't. People see him do it, but only Beth really knows how well he knows cars.

He told her one day, she asked him how he makes hotwiring look so easy, and he told her next time to come and have a look.

_Daryl leant on the floor of the car, his legs hanging out, guarded by T-Dog, as Beth leant in from the other side, pressing her elbow against his shoulder as she strained to look._

_She made a comment about maybe seeing him on an Americas most wanted, grand theft auto episode. He chuckled but then refuted that._

'_Ain't never stole a car in my life Greene.' He answered._

'_Oh... you're just good at it.' She smiled over his shoulder._

_He glanced back at her and grinned. 'Had a mechanic aprentaship once.' He explained._

_Beth wiggles slightly, the handbrake pressing into her hip. 'Really?'_

_Daryl shrugged as he continued. 'Yeah never finished though.'_

'_Why not?' she asked simply._

_Daryl's hands stuttered a little, and he dropped a wire, he didn't answer her for a moment, and Beth thought maybe she'd crossed a boundary, and she tried to manuver her arm, so she could still see but so she want crowding in on him so much... but they were friends right... why couldn't she ask?_

'_Had ta leave.' He offered, and he looked back at her face for a moment, before nodding back into the wire. 'Was gonna kill him if I didn't.' He admitted, before turning his attention back to the wire. 'This one and this one see?' Beth didn't lean back in, and Daryl seemed annoyed at that. 'Oi Greene, ya wanna learn or not?'_

_She nodded._

'_Then get your arse in here and take a look.' He demanded, and she leant back over him, and felt him shift as he shoved the wire again._

'_Who?' The question slipped out without her permission, and she wished it hadn't, she felt his shoulders stiffen under her, but this time she didn't move._

'_Ya just flick 'em like this.' He continued, and the engine roared to life. 'Done.' He exclaimed as he sat back on his knees and stared at her for a moment. 'My dad.' He answered, and as quickly as that he stood and stepped back letting T-dog slip in._

_Later months later, maybe it was more than a year later, Beth was sitting at the prison, it was still new to them, but the relaxed atmosphere was nice, she watching him fiddle with the fuel line on the bike and she finally answered him._

'_It sucks.'_

_Daryl squinted at her in the afternoon sun. 'What?'_

'_Your dad... whatever it was that made you angry at him... you would've made a good mechanic.' She told him._

_Daryl took a final draw of his cigarette and flicked it to the ground, stomping it out. 'Yeah well... dun matter now does it Greene.' He bent back down to continue his work, but his fingers seemed a little harsher, and he grunted in frustration._

_She felt guilty at causing the slight mood swing. 'Sorry Mister Dixon.'_

_He glanced back at her. 'Fer what?'_

_She shrugged. 'Sometimes I say stuff without thinking... I didn't mean to annoy you.'_

_Daryl frowned at that. 'Ain't nothing ya ever say annoys me.' And after he genuinely looked at her for a moment he returned to his bike before huffing something that sounded almost like a laugh. 'Sept' when ya call me Mister Dixon... got a name ya know Greene.'_

_Beth crinkled her nose at that. 'I do too.' She commented._

_He looked back to her. 'Yeah ya do... pretty one too, say I'll call ya Beth, n' you call me Daryl?' he suggested._

'_Ok...Daryl' she agreed, and when she did he wiped the oil of one hand and held it out to shake hers._

'_Beth.' He almost whispered as she took his hand, he gave a good nod and cleared his throat before he got back to the bike._

So yeah, that's what Beth knows, at some point in his life he got good with cars because he had an aprentaship... not because he was a thief... but again, Daryl never corrects anyone else, and he even makes a joke or two about it himself, so she never tells anyone.

Beth is probably the only living person that knows why he's good with cars.

**3.**

**Daryl wants kids.**

That might not seem like a big secret, but it sort of is. It's not really any one thing that led Beth to this conclusion, and if she told anyone, she doubts anyone would be surprised, this one is not like his other secrets, but Beth knows _why_ he wants kids, and she knows with 100% certainly that nobody else knows why.

Rick wasn't really around much for the first ten months of Judith's life. Physically he was, but he wasn't really there. The whole group had seen the way Daryl took Judith and held her rocking and cooing to her, but it was one evening when Beth climbed the guard tower, a four month old Judith restless in the warm air in her arms.

Neither of them greeted each other straight away, Beth just slid her back down the wall, and cradled Judith, and the child quietened as soon as Beth held her in a more sitting position.

'_She likes it up here huh?' Daryl smiled, and it was one of his genuine smiles that was only for Judith._

_Beth nodded._

'_Must be the breeze or somethin'.' Daryl decided._

_Beth let out a noise that was almost a laugh of disbelief. 'I think it's you.' She corrected._

_Daryl lifted his gaze from Judith to Beth, and after a moment he finished his cigarette and tossed it, watching the orange glow sink to the ground before walking over and clapping his hands out for Judith._

_Beth handed her over and Daryl raised the baby to his chest kissing her head softly before he slid down the wall next to Beth. 'She's crazy huh... thinkin' anyone would want my company.' He spoke in a high voice which was only ever used on babies._

_Beth nudged his arm with her own. 'She's not the only one that likes your company Daryl.' Beth reaffirmed, because sometimes she knew Daryl did think he was only there because he was good at surviving._

'_What you?' Daryl smirked. 'That dun' count... ain't got ya head screwed on right.' He answered as he messily ruffled her pony tail._

_Beth slapped his hand away, and after a minute or two of light slaps and flicks they both settled against the wall, their body's still touching arms and legs pressed together, and it wasn't uncomfortable despite the warmth of the night._

_Daryl stared down at the baby in his arms who was quickly tiering, and he rubbed her fringe out of her eyes in a motion that was all too tender for the tough Daryl Dixon. He felt Beth's eyes on him and he shrugged. 'Always wanted kids.' He admitted._

_And he was surprised that Beth's face seemed expectant of such a comment._

'_Me too.' She agreed. 'It's great having Judith though... sometimes I feel like she's all mine.' Beth answered._

_Daryl looked back to the baby. 'Yeah me too.' And then he realized what he said. 'I mean I know she's got Rick...'_

'_It's ok Daryl.' Beth linked her arm into his so that she could scratch lightly at Judith's belly. 'I know what you mean.'_

_Daryl chuckled slightly and drew it back in because he realized how sarcastic it sounded. _

_He shrugged when Beth sent him a questioning look. 'Look at me huh? All domesticated and pining over kids I ain't never gonna have.'_

_His words although supposed to be funny made Beth sad, and she reached her spare arm to squeeze the bicep, it flexed under her touch, and although in the recent months of caring for Judith together, the occasional touch had been allowed and a general closeness had grown between them, it felt a little more intimate. But sometimes, Beth thought he needed it._

_Daryl confirmed her thoughts with his words. 'Just always wanted something that was mine... something I was allowed ta love without havin' it taken away.' And he swallowed at that because he realized that was sappy crap that really was unnecessary._

_Beth loosened her hand on his arm and resumed her scratching at Judith bell who was almost asleep now._

'_Don' tell anyone that ok?' Daryl asked. 'They'll think I'm a real pussy or somethin'.'_

_Beth smiled at him and kissed the arm that she was tiredly leaning on. It wasn't flirtatious or anything, just reassuring. 'Your secrets are safe with me Daryl...' She paused to yawn. 'You never have to tell me not to... I won't tell.'_

_Daryl smiled and grazed his thumb that was resting at Judith's side along Beth's forearm a few times in a silent thanks. 'Yeah I know... yours too,' He promised and with that he let both the girls fall to sleep while he continued keeping watch._

Later glen would come up and smirk at Daryl, and Beth would wake wondering what was going on, but right now, she was sure she had a very special secret indeed.

Everyone might not be surprised, or they may have even figured out that Daryl wants kids, but she's the only one who knows that he so desperately wants something he's allowed to love... She didn't fully grasp that at first, but as Beth grew another year or two and matured, she seemed to understand it more, because that's exactly what Judith gave her.

So yeah, Beth is the only person who really knows he wants kids.

**4.**

**Daryl likes flowers.**

Beth just thinks he collects them for Judith, but allot of the time he comes back from a run with a new flower pressed in between something and he gives it to Beth for the scrapbook she makes for Judith. Of course he never lets anyone see him do it.

There was this one night that he explained it, before that he had just randomly found them and haphazardly thrown them at Beth and said something about, here for Jude's book.

One night was different though.

_It was late, later than he would normally visit, but he could see the candle fluttering and he peered through the gap in the curtain, and instantly wished he hadn't, he stepped back and blinked his eyes before knocking on the bars and trying not to think about Beth lying on her bed in the heat in nothing but her underwear._

'_Hang on.' Came the reply._

'_Hangin' on.' Daryl answered as if he wasn't trying to swallow a lump in his throat._

_He heard some shuffling and then she called him in._

_Daryl tugged the sheet to the side and sauntered in, refusing to look at her, he leant up on the desk and pulled the flower from his vest pocket, offering it to her._

_Beth reached for it, and her fingers brushed his as she eagerly ogled the purple flower. 'Judith will love this!' She smiled as she reached for the dictionary beside her bed and pressed the flower into it. She then stood and picked up the flower scrapbook and flipped it open. 'Ok so that's purple... just need an orange and then we have every colour pansy.' Beth smiled as she showed Daryl the page._

_He nodded, and Beth wondered why he didn't seem so enthusiastic. _

'_You ok?' Beth questioned._

_Daryl was biting his bottom lip when he nodded._

'_You sure?' Beth asked as she lifted his chin a little._

'_Yeah' he slapped her hand away._

_She sighed. 'You look a little red.' _

_He squinted at her and she let out a deep breath with a shrug. 'S'hot is all.' He answered and hoped she'd buy that, and not realize that he was as embarrassed as hell at the sight he'd almost walked into._

_Beth quirked her mouth and seemed to accept it._

'_I think we should work on blossoms next.' she suggested._

'_Still gotta get that orange pansy.' Daryl answered._

_Beth nodded, folding the scrap book away. 'Judith is going to love this in a little while... when she's big enough... thanks for doing it.' Beth smiled as she reached up and swung her arms around his neck, Daryl jumped and sent a cup of pencils spilling to the floor in a loud clatter. Beth looked down to them and frowned. 'Are you sure you're ok?'_

_Daryl blinked, and then nodded. 'Yeah um... static... ya zapped me.' He answered._

_Beth laughed softly before trying again, and this time her arms looped around his neck and she whispered a 'Thankyou' into his ear._

_He squeezed her a little before she stepped back. 'I really like it too... it makes me feel normal.' She answered._

'_What?'_

'_Collecting flowers.' She explained._

_Daryl nodded 'Oh yeah me too.'_

_Beth frowned and decided to tease him. 'You like to collect flowers...' She poked him earning her a small snort. 'What are you a girlie man?' She poked again._

'_I ain't.' \He snorted again, slapping at her hand and backing up further onto the desk, and Beth was pretty sure it was going to turn into a chuckle._

'_A pansy?' She quipped poking him again, only this time his face snapped back to that stoic frown. She knew for some reason that she'd hurt him, and she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure if that was ok._

'_Don' call me that Beth.' He frowned._

_Beth shook her head, she hadn't meant to upset him. 'You're not Daryl... you're the blockiest bloke I know... you're not a pansy I was just teasing.'_

_Daryl shrugged. 'Don't mind ya teasin', just don't call me that.' He asked._

_Beth nodded but didn't hide the question behind her eyes._

_He decided to give the information up willingly. 'When I was a kid, I used to collect flowers for me ma... ya know make her happy.' He sniffed in a manly uncaring way, but it didn't fool Beth. 'One day Merle just decided to call me a pansy and beat the shit outta me for it... his mates joined in, all over a god damn rose, couldn't walk proper for a month... just hate it s'all.'_

_Beth nodded. 'I'll never say it again.' She promised, and her hand unconsciously rested on his knee._

_Rick cleared his throat and Beth looked over to him with a smile. 'Look!' She turned to get the dictionary ad flicked it open. 'Only an orange to go.' She smiled widely._

_Rick smiled and said something encouraging but he kept glancing at Daryl who eventually excused himself while Rick stayed to chat about the consistency of Judith's last nappy._

Beth was fairly sure that Daryl didn't have a problem with pansies, he liked all flowers, no one else at all knew he did, Rick vaguely knew that he picked them up for Beth, but Beth was the only one who knew it was Daryl's idea.

It would be nearly a year before Daryl would find that orange pansy, and Michonne will come back looking exasperated and when Hershel asked what happened she would explain how she had to save Daryl's sorry ass from a walker because he was busy rolling around in a flower patch like a hippy loving pansy.

Beth would be the only one to see the sadness in his eyes when she says that. But he just shoves her, almost playfully and walks past her, and Beth will find him later in her cell running his fingers over the flowers they had collected and finding comfort in their beauty.

Beth is defiantly the only person who knows how much Daryl likes flowers.

**5.**

**Daryl prays.**

It's surprising when Beth walks into his cell, it's a little further away from the groups, so she doesn't often visit his cell, but she did this day, she doesn't even remember what for, she just thought he looked strange on his knees elbows to the mattress and hands clasping each other. They're resting against his forehead and his lips are fervently spilling out words, which might not even be English.

Beth thinks about standing there observing the marvel, but then it feels too invasive and she steps back to leave but she knocks his crossbow which was leaning against the wall sending it clanging to the floor.

No one would guess that he ever prays, and defiantly not so honestly. He'd even teased her and Maggie for praying, no one would believe it, not even if she could have video recorded it, no one, it was just so unlike Daryl.

Anyway on this day he glanced over to Beth, sweat pouring from his brow, and she wondered if he was going to be angry, but he nodded her over, and she frowned but obeyed, she stood there for a moment with him looking up at her, and then his eyes darted to the mattress and she sat, thinking that's what he was asking.

'_I didn't know you prayed.' Beth commented._

_And with that his head bowed again and he continued, his words too low and fast for her to understand, and after a minute or two he finally stopped, but he didn't move. Beth waited for what seemed like an impossibly long time before she decided to leave, but when she attempted to stand his elbow darted out and pushed on her thigh, the rest of him unmoving, but she settled back into the mattress, and she only noticed now the slight shake of his shoulders. He looked up to her, avoiding her eyes, but still intense._

'_Think I must be doin' it wrong.' He commented._

_Beth frowned. 'You can't do it wrong._

_Daryl swallowed hard and wriggled on his knees, his elbow dug hard into her thigh and she winced a little, he looked down at it and shifted over. 'Help me?' He mumble, so quiet that she almost missed it._

_Beth slipped of the bed and took his pose. 'I don't know what you're praying for.'_

'_Forgiveness.' It was a simple answer, and she furrowed her brow in concentration._

_Beth thought of the right verse. 'My lord, I...We come before you to ask forgiveness.' She eyed Daryl and although she felt a little silly she continued because he seemed so genuine. 'Have mercy upon me lord, according to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude of they tender mercies, blot out thy transgressions, wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me...'_

_Daryl didn't have his head bowed now, nor were his eyes shut, he was staring at Beth, and the action made her shy, but his quiet voice spoke anyway. 'Don't stop.'_

_She wet her lips again and concentrated. 'Hide thy face from my sins... and blot out all my iniquities... create in me a clean heart oh lord...' Beth paused, her memory failing her as Daryl dropped from his knees to the ground. _

_He gave her a minute before nudging her.'More?'_

_Beth swallowed and wriggled on her knees before continuing. 'Renew a right spirit in me, cast me not away from thy presence, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit...'_

_This time Daryl didn't prompt her to continue, so she finished up. 'Forgive my sins...in the name of the father the son and the holy ghost.' She signed the cross to her chest. 'Amen.'_

_Daryl sat staring and she slapped his knee and signed the cross again, prompting him to copy. He frowned. 'Why?_

'_You just do it.'_

'_But why?' He asked again._

_Beth rolled her eyes. 'Because its respect, without Jesus sacrifice we wouldn't be able to ask for repentance. 'Do it.'_

_Daryl didn't move. 'You wanted me to teach you how to pray didn't you?'_

_Daryl sighed. 'Nam'u the father, son n' holy spirit.' He signed a lazy cross. 'Amen.'_

_Beth chewed on her lip for a moment, before speaking. 'What d you need forgiveness for anyway?'_

'_Stuff.'_

'_Stuff?'_

_Daryl nodded, before huffing a sad laugh. 'Wished there was something I could do... you know get forgiven an all.' And that was it, he stood and left._

Beth wondered about it for days, eventually she heard Glen talking to Rick about how Daryl went. 'Bat-shit crazy.' On a couple of walker kids, and Beth wondered if that was it.

But it happened more than once, never again, in his cell, never like he had asked that time, never as demanding, but Beth noticed he stood closer when Hershel prayed for them, hoping that he might hear them. And there were maybe a dozen times when Daryl walked into her room late at night and knelt by her bed, most times he would look at her until she rattled of something, and then he would sign the laziest of crosses to his chest and leave, sometimes he would just pray himself, come in mutter words that really were indistinguishable and leave.

Beth teased him about it once, she said she was glad god understood all men, he frowned at her and said something about talking in a pure language and mumbled as he left.

A few months later Beth would spot a rosary chain hanging out of a walkers pocket, and when she asked Carol if she could skip the fence to get it, no one thought it wasn't for herself.

Daryl didn't seem all to happy when she gave it to him weeks later, but then again when she turned around she saw Merle standing behind her and she thought it made sense that Daryl was suddenly un-interested.

Daryl may have asked her what he wanted it for and hap-hazzardly thrown it onto his bed, but Beth would occasionally see a wooden beaded chain poking out from his pocket, and anytime he seemed to be particularly upset she would see his hand shoved in his pocket, tracing a repeated pattern, and his eyes would often dip shut when he did it, and she knew exactly what he was doing even if no one else did.

Beth knew Daryl prays.

**6.**

**Daryl likes to sing.**

Beth thinks it's funny when she first hears it, it's when Judith is about six months old and she's cutting her second tooth. Daryl had taken her out for a walk, and they'd been gone long enough for Beth to be worried, but not long enough for her to ask anyone else to go looking for them. She tucked a knife in her belt and wandered the prison fields looking for them, and that's when the noise filtered up to her ears.

Daryl was singing, and she hardly believed it. He wasn't good at it, but he wasn't bad either. His voice was like him gruff and untrained, and stubborn, yet somehow it played with perfect restraint, and despite its messyiness, it was perfect at what it was doing.

It wasn't a voice that would make a choir, or that could sing softly, which is probably why it was cracking, because he was trying to keep it quiet and even, and like him it wanted to be unrestrained. It was defiantly a Pub-Ballard voice, maybe even a Folk-Rock voice, but it wouldn't be too good for much else.

Still what it was doing, it was tremendously good at.

'_They called us white trash behind our backs,_

_I was way too young then to understand that, but if I did I'd have given it right back._

_My daddy be drunk on the lawn, yellin' screamin' like he'd do,_

_But sometimes my ol' man felt what he was feelin'.'_

_Daryl hummed a little._

'_Were stubborn as mules, with our blood on fire,_

_When we ain't at Sunday mass, we'll look a man in the ey...'_

_Daryl stopped and swung around, somehow flicking his crossbow of his back in one fluid motion and holding it up to Beth, still cradling Judith in his other arm Beth realized she had stepped on a twig, and scolded herself for her carelessness._

'_You sing?' She asked._

_Daryl frowned deeply. 'No.'_

_Beth stepped forward. 'I heard you Daryl... you're not too bad either.'_

'_Don't sing.' He argued._

'_Mhm, and walkers don't eat pretty people.' She agreed._

'_That's stupid.'_

_Beth quirked her eyebrow._

_Daryl huffed in annoyance. 'Ain't singin', just tryna get Jude to sleep.'_

'_You don't need to be embarrassed... you're good.'_

_Daryl snorted. 'Yeah if ya drunk of ya arse, otherwise it's like nails down a chalkboard.'_

_Beth bounced alongside of him. 'Sing Daryl!'_

_Daryl snorted and left her in the field._

It wasn't till after the whole saint Patricks day thing, which is another secret she knows, buts she's getting to that. Anyway it wasn't till after that that Daryl relented t her constant badgering, apparently he had sung to her while he was drunk of his arse, and one day when she was down he decided that a little word edit of _Galway Girl _would make her smile.

_He poked her, he brought her a new flower, she was just sad, he wondered if maybe her and Zach had a fight, or something, so he puffed his cigarette and started humming, and he didn't get a reaction, he scanned the prison making sure no one was below to hear him, and then he opened his mouth._

'_Well I took a stroll, u long ol' walk,_

_Of a day –i-a-i-ay._

_I met a little girl, and we stopped to talk...'_

_His voiced faded out as she seemed to have no interest, but then he caught her eye and she was waiting expectantly. So he continued._

'_We stopped to talk,_

_Of a fine soft day-i-ay-i-ay,_

_And I ask ya friend, what's a fella to do?'_

_He paused to drag on his cigarette before he grinned deviously and changed a word or two._

'_Cause her hair was blond, and her eyes were blue,_

_And I knew right then I'd be takin' a whirl around the state prison with this Georgian girl._

_We were halfway there when rain came down,_

_Of a day –i-ay-i-ay_

_And she asked me up to her flat downtown,_

_Of a fine soft day-i-ay-i-ay_

_And I ask ya what's a fella to do?_

_Cause her hair was blond, and her eyes were blue,_

_So I took her hand and gave her a twirl'_

_Daryl pulled her hand and didn't mind dancing with her, no now, after Hershel's insistence, which was another story, _

'_And I lost my heart to this Georgian girl._

_When I woke I was all alone, with a broken heart,_

_And a ticket home._

_And I ask you what would you have done?_

_Coz her hair was blond and her eyes were blue,_

_I've travelled around, all over this state,_

_N boys I ain't seen nothing like this Georgian girl...'_

_And after that single song he'd gone back to his cigarette and smirked at Beth's smile, if his rowdy voice could make her smile, he'd do it more often._

After that he had taught her more of his songs and she enjoyed the evenings when she and Judith would climb up and they would sing together. It was something special, just for them, a secret that nobody knew. Until Christmas, when Beth was strumming at a guitar playing some sad song late at night. Daryl had come by and snatched the guitar and sat so close to her that he knew people would think their pressed thighs and scratching shoulders were strange, but he didn't care, his breath stank of booze, and everyone who wasn't on watch were drunk themselves anyway.

'_When you first...'_

_He plucked at the guitar and cursed as the string bit his finger, he righted his note and continued. '...First took my hand on a cold Christmas eve.'_

_He bumped Beths shoulder twice before she joined him._

'_You promised me Broadway was waiting for me.' She sung._

_Daryl let out a deep chuckle at the contrast of their voices, but truth be told he loved singing with her._

'_You were handsome.' Beth continued._

'_You were pretty, queen of new York city.' Daryl's voice laced in humour sung._

'_When the band finished playing, they howled out for more, Sinatra was swinging, and all the drunks were singing._

_We kissed in a corner. Then danced together.' They both sung._

_Daryl gave up singing and only lazily strummed a note as he took another swig of the alcohol they'd found for the party._

_Beth caught Zack looking at her, and she didn't mind the questioning look, because Daryl was her best friend, and if he didn't like that, then that was too bad, Daryl would always be her best friend and nothing would come between that, so when his voice led hers followed, a little out of order, but they soon picked up._

'_You're a bum.' He prodded._

'_You're a punk.' Beth answered._

'_You're an old slut on junk.' Daryl actually giggled. 'Lying there almost dead on the drip in the bed.'_

'_You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot!' baths face smiled, despite Maggies shock at her swearing, Beth shrugged and continued brazenly happy 'Christmas your arse, I pray god it's our last...'_

_Daryl's voice struck in a little early. 'I could've been someone.'_

'_Well so could anyone, you took my dreams from me. Beth grinned as she knocked his shoulder with hers._

'_When I first found you..' Daryl nudged Beth's shoulder back and didn't hide the affection in his gaze 'I kept them with me babe, I put them with my own, can't make it all alone, I built my dreams around youuuu...'_

_They both battled through three songs before the rowdy versed lead to Rick snatching the guitar away and Daryl sulking._

Really because he was drunk enough they didn't seem practiced and although Maggie had later asked where Beth learnt such songs, she never told her and while her father scolded her, she smiled, because it had felt right, and she knew that no one understood it.

Daryl just liked to sing.

**7.**

**Once Daryl cried because he was happy.**

Beth had seen him cry once or twice, but it wasn't often, usually it was more in reaction to a sting, a burn, hot tears would sneak out the sides of his eyes, or if he was genuinely sad, sometimes when he prayed. But they were so few they always seemed like an apparition, and he always hid them, like they were a sin in themselves.

But one time, they fell unhindered, and they fell because his heart was pounding with joy. Only Beth saw it, and only she would ever see that, of that she was sure.

Judith's first word came when she was seven and a half months. It was _Darrie,_ Beth caught the look of hurt on Ricks face and she covered it up saying it was _daddy_.

Rick didn't believe it for a second, but he never told Beth that, he knew what she was trying to do and he appreciated it. Most times it could be covered up because Rick and Daryl got around together allot, and when Judith would look up and scream. 'Darrie!' Beth would throw her at Rick and remark on how cute it was.

Every time she heard Judith she would commend her. 'That's right daddy!' and throw her in Ricks direction.

_Today was unmistakeable though. Beth was waiting in the guard tower when Daryl stepped up, now ten month old Judith looked up from her book with a big smile and stretched her arms out. 'Daddy!'_

_Daryl drew back at first, but she said it again and he couldn't help himself he bent down and picked her up, and hugged her, pulling her into him. And Beth saw the tears that fell freely with the smile so rare that graced his lips, and she couldn't help but smile back._

When they spoke about it later, Daryl would say that he felt guilty, but that it felt so right, and regardless of whether it was wrong not to correct her, nothing had made him feel more right in his life than that moment.

Beth would tell him it's ok, and she will ever mention it to Rick.

Three weeks later when Judith calls her mommy, in the cafeteria, with only Rick and Daryl to witness it, Rick will smile at her shock, because no one taught her that word, but Rick will bend and kiss her head and say. 'Thank you for being that.' And Beth will think of one thing as a tear slips from her own eye.

Once Daryl cried because he was happy.

And when she looks across to him she will realize something else... Daryl blushes, another thing she doubts anyone else knows he can do, and she wonders if he's thinking what she is?

**8.**

**Daryl didn't always fight.**

It's just after that time that he comes back from gallivanting around with Merle when he nearly left them, his shirt is ripped and he doesn't hide it from them, they all see the angry scars that grace his back. Everyone stares with curiosity, but none of them are really surprised by it, somehow they suit him and he carries them well. He covers them up quick enough anyway.

_It's another three days before Carl asks about them at dinner. 'What happened to your back?' _

_The room went quiet and Beth thought she saw tears threaten at Daryl's eyes, and she even saw Merle stiffen._

_Eventually tho Daryl smiled. 'Ain't ya ever heard of a Chibacabre?'_

The question leaves them all to their devices, Beth hears them talking about it over the coming weeks, they all have their own theory's, from bar fights to animal attacks to car accidents. Beth knows though, any she knows Merle does and she wonders if his back looks the same?

But yeah she knows exactly who put them there, and her heart sinks a little.

It's at least a few months after that when Daryl's trying to be merry on Guinness's that he confirms it, but Beth has always known.

There was a time, before he was this... there was once someone got the better of him.

Daryl didn't always fight.

**9.**

**Daryl's a Protestant.**

Beth wonders what that is, and its only once they're out on the road that he tells her. 'Means we don't need no fancy church to pray to our god.' He answered flatly when she asked if he was offended to go into a catholic church. 'Can pray anywhere Beth.'

But she didn't find out on the road, she found out right back at the prison just after Merle died.

_She was heading in to take a shower, and yeah she saw the towel on the door, but she thought it was Maggie, and it was weird, but being naked in front of each other wasn't even weird anymore, not for sisters in a world like this. So she sauntered on in and then she heard the sobs, even before she got undressed, it didn't sound like a woman, it was a man and she probably should have left but she heard those ineluctable words that sounded not quite right and she couldn't let him cry alone._

_And there he is hugging his knees back to her on the shower floor._

'_Daryl?'_

_The words stopped and she saw him stiffen._

'_Are you ok?' She asked, she just needed him to say Yes and then she could leave._

_He sniffed. 'No.'_

_That's not the a answer she had expected, and she rushed to his side, not worrying about his nakedness, because he was hurting and that was more important, her hands gliding over his back and he flinched away from her but she sat on the dampened floor and wrapped her arms around his waist anyway, and he didn't push her away, instead he held on of her hands with his own and cried, it was loud and he was heaving and it occurred to her that probably no one had seen him like this. And the truth was Beth hated it._

_It must have been an hour before he finally spoke. 'Never been without him before.'_

'_Merle?'_

_Daryl nodded and sat a little, and its only then that Beth realized she had been practically laying on his back. 'Don't know if I miss him or not... just feels like shit.' He answered._

Beth said something about him being in a better place, one not filled with walkers and Daryl laughed, that's when he finally told her.

'_We're fuckin' protestants... well I guess Merles not much of anything, but I'm a protestant'_

'_What's that mean.' Beth asks._

'_Means we don't believe in heaven n' hell... dun' believe in them rosary beads or crucifixes either.' Daryl nodded to the rosary beads that had been discarded on the shower floor._

_Beth furrowed her brow. 'Why do You keep them then?'_

_Daryl shrugs. 'You gave 'em to me.'_

The answer was honest, and Beth might have been hurt that he didn't use them, but later... after they leave the jail, after Terminus when he finds her, she will feel those rosary beads hanging over his heart and she will smile because even though keeping them is a contradictory to his beliefs, everything he does is a contradiction.

So only she knows, because nobody else has ever asked. She doesn't mind that he's not catholic, and some day years from now her beliefs might even sway that way, because it seems more real. But that doesn't matter, no one will ever know.

Daryl is a protestant.

**10.**

**Daryl is Irish**

It's great when Rick gets himself back together, and it makes Beth happy it does... but she's lonely without Judith on her hip every second of the day, that's why she volunteers to do watch, she's on the third shift which is 3am to 7am.

It's about four when she hears slippery footsteps up the ladder, and then the trap door flings open and Daryl's eyes pop up, not his whole face just his eyes smiling widely and then they comically disappear before he throws up a bag that clinks and spills a bottle from it.

Beth rolls it with her foot a little, it's a Guinness.

And Daryl launches himself up through the trap door with a merry. 'Hey girl!'

Beth eyed him curiously. 'Hey.'

He stands and skulls the rest of the semi empty bottle, somehow keeping his cigarette in between his lips as he does so.

'Are you drunk?' Beth asks.

Daryl nods. 'Hope so... happy saint paddys!' He smiles widely, and he stumbles a little, and Beth is so glad that he came forward and not back down the trap door, she leans over and closes it, and he smiles at her.

'Takin' care o me.' He smiled, and it was a smile filled with so much affection that it made Beth's heart skip a beat.

She frowned because he had an Irish accent, and she knew he didn't do it when he was normal drunk so she supposed it was in honour of his celebrations, still it seemed a little well versed and familiar to be completely fake. Later, sometime in many months he will tell her, his grandfather was as Irish as they come, and he remembers his accent without hesitation.

He leaned forward and sat down beside her brushing up harshly against her, and it made Beth uncomfortable, it's not that they hadn't sat close before, often their arms would brush, she would hug him or he would pat her shoulder, sometimes if he thought they were in danger he's even covered her body with his own, sometimes he falls asleep on watch, and his head drops to bury in her neck... no it's not the closeness, it's just the harshness he's doing it with, the way he pressed the edge of his hip into hers and his muscled arm rubbed against hers, she felt it was too intimate and shifted away.

'S'wrong?' He questioned, and he actually looked hurt.

Beth frowned. 'You're drunk!'

He blinked at that. 'Yeah so.' He reached for her, because really he wanted to touch her.

She moved further away and he sat back on his haunches a little before realization dawned on him. 'Ya scared u' me?'

Beth didn't answer, but she didn't deny it.

'Don't gotta be, ain't doin' nothin' ta hurt ye, just merry is all...' He told her.

And Beth nodded, that was true so she leant back against the wall and let him sit close to her. 'How do you know its st pattys anyway?'

Daryl smiled and hiccupped as he opened another bottle. 'Glen said it was the fifteenth yesterday... then today's the fourteenth...no... sixteenth, but its past midnight now so it's the seventeenth.'

'Oh... why do you get drunk?'

'It's st paddys!' He exclaimed.

'Yeah but why?'

Daryl frowned 'Paddys the patron saint of drinkin'.' He answered as the black liquid dripped down his chin when he misaimed his bottle.

'No he's not.' Beth snorted.

'Hey, what would you know? You Irish?' Daryl snapped, he smiled when Beth shook her head. 'Yer right, he ain't, but he brought alcohol to Ireland... n st paddys is about letting go of your inhibitions and restraint and doin' whatever the fuck you want.' Daryl furrowed his brow for a moment, that was right wasn't it? Yeah that's right the saint freed them from paganism and then gave them alcohol that loosens you up, so he supports that right?

'You really think so?' Beth laughed softly.

Daryl nodded.

'I didn't think your family did holidays?' Beth commented.

Daryl shook his head. 'Nah, but we do the shit outta st paddys... we drink, we swear, we fuck, we fight...' Daryl trailed off because really how did they celebrate, that was all the same as every other day.

'I dunno, it's about being who you wanna be and not carin' if ya an arse about it.' Daryl decided.

Beth laughed. 'Where'd you get the Guinness from?'

Daryl smiled proudly, happy at the question. 'Irish pub... cellar, no one raided the cellar, went lookin' earlier today...yesterday.' He corrected before hiccupping. He swallowed that down before offering her one.

'So what's ya plan up here?' Beth asked curiously.

Daryl shrugged and worried at a hole in his pants by his knee. 'Celebrate being lucky I guess, still alive, can't get in no fights, so I'll just drink... be with whoever the hell I wanna be with and... I dunno, drink, forget.'

Beth didn't like to hear him sound sad. 'So why don't you go and find one of those nice Woodbury ladies? I've seen some of them watching you, I'm sure they'd like to celebrate with you.' She suggested.

Daryl frowned. 'Yer want me ta go?'

Beth thought he sounded hurt by that so she shook her head.

'Good... dun' need them anyway.' He took another swig .'M' where I wanna be... you're here n' m' happy.' He said.

Beth smiled at that.

'Why dun' you drink up Bethy?'

Beth shook her head. Daryl I'm not twenty one yet!'

Daryl laughed at that. 'Ireland drinkin' age is seventeen...anyway, ain't rules no more.'

'I've never had alcohol.' She admitted.

'Coz o' yer da?' Daryl questioned and smiled when he received a nod. 'Yer my da was u' prick when he drank, beat the fuck outta us... ain't stop me nun tho.'

Beth's mind flinched at that admission, even though she already knew it. Her fingers curled around Daryl's and the simple action earned her a bright smile.

'I miss you.' He answered suddenly.

Beth frowned at the admission, because it didn't make sense, but mostly because he didn't say stuff like that. 'I'm right here.'

Daryl shook his head. 'Yer haven't been 'round much since that Zacks rocked up, been of chasin' him.'

Beth smiled, she knew Daryl didn't approve. 'He's been chasing me... He's nice though, don't worry you're still my best friend.'

Daryl smiled and squeezed her hand pulling it further into his lap. 'Betta be.' And the contact felt a little too intimate but he seemed so happy so she was too.

'Gettin' lonely tho... Ricks busy with Judy, Carls of bein' Carl, Carols... yeah, Maggie n' Glen always busy bumpin' uglys, and Michonne is past obsessed... n' now yer of chasin' this kid. Just leaves yer Da n me... N' that Patric kid that won' leave me alone.' Daryl complained.

Beth sent him an apologetic look.

'You could hang out with us?' She suggested.

'What n' get front row seats in yer love life, no thank you... nah hate the kid.' Daryl answered.

Beth laughed at his candidacy. 'You could try.' He nodded and later he would decide he would.

'Anyway he must be havin' allot lot of fun, keepin' ya so busy, getin' down n' dirty.' Daryl groaned.

Beth pulled her arm back. 'Nah we don't too much, we just hang and talk.'

Daryl frowned and drained the rest of that bottle before leaning over her legs and reaching for another bottle, cracking it happily. 'Ya don' do nothing?'

Beth shook her head.

'Somethin' wrong with him?' Daryl asked screwing up his face.

Beth shook her head 'It's not him Daryl... it's me.'

'What's wrong with ye?' He slurred a little, and Beth laughed at him.

'Nothing, just I get nervous, I've never done... anything before...' She admitted and that earned her a eyebrow wobble from Daryl and he suggested she should go and find this Zach in honour of st paddy.

Of course Beth didn't, and she let him stay there and talk about all sorts of rubbish, before he stood shakily and declared he was leaving. Beth stood to help him and she frowned at the devilish smile that crossed his face. He took the last gulp of his bottle and fell forward pressing her into the wall and pushed his lips to hers, he waited for a moment, in a happy drunken stupor, waiting for her to push him away but when she didn't he let out a deep satisfied groan and expertly parted her lips with his, before slipping his tongue to brush against hers and letting some of the bitter liquid that he'd held rush into her mouth.

Beth squeeked in surprise, but she didn't stop him, he only let his tongue brush hers the once, after that it was a series of smaller but still open kisses, and he groaned when he was done and pulled back with a bright smile.

'_Happy st paddys girl.'_

She looked totally shocked, and he grinned and told her now she didn't need to worry about being shy, she can go and get Zach now, the comical way that it made sense to him made her laugh.

A long time from now she will think back on this, and even though he will never really remember this moment, she will be glad that he was her first kiss, and when she shared her first drink with him, she will remember that is not the first time she's tasted alcohol, and she will wonder if it's just the difference between Moonshine and Guinness... or if it's because it came from his mouth, but nothing will taste quiet that good again.

So that's something else Beth knows. He'll never admit it to anyone, he'll always affirm he's 100% hillbilly hick, ragin' redneck and all that, but Beth will know that there is one part of his soul that is very Irish, and suddenly all those songs he likes will make sense, and sometime a few years from then it will become habbit for them to celebrate together, no one will understand, but they will do it together.

Yeah Beth might be the only person that knows he's Irish

**11.**

**Daryl so likes to dance.**

There was something different about Daryl ever since the Woodbury people arrived, he seemed prouder, more confidant, it was probably because people treated him like a celebrity, but it didn't matter why, he was just happier.

They all felt safer happier, and although the Woodbury people were nice and quickly became family also the original crew and Michonne sometimes felt they had to get away from it all, and it wasn't uncommon that they'd hold up in their cellblock with just each other.

The day this happened it was the same as the others. It had started with all of them, but Michonne left to take guard, Carl closely behind her, and Carol was on cook duty, and it wasn't long before Glen and Maggie left to do whatever they did.

So that left Rick, Judith, Hershel, Daryl and Beth. Hershel limped over to the radio that Glen had brought back and slipped in an old cassette, it was old music, the almost country, almost romantic, almost make your ears bleed type, but it was something, and he stood and held his hand out to Beth and she smiled widely, dropping her cards without thought.

_Daryl eyed her before swapping some of his cards with hers and received a sharp kick from Rick, he frowned and threw his cards in._

_And both the men turned to watch the intimate embrace. Hershel was able to walk now with the prosthetic they managed to pull off a walker, but he still leant heavily on his daughter, but she didn't mind she looked happy._

'_I never thought I'd dance with you again daddy!' She exclaimed happily although it was barley a whisper._

_He rubbed the back of her hand with his and pressed it to his heart. 'I know you miss it.' He kissed her head and felt her arms tighten around him._

_It had always been one of Beth's favourite things to do._

_They danced through another two songs before Hershel's leg started to wobble a bit and Rick tapped him on the shoulder. 'May I?' he questioned and Hershel gave him a grateful nod._

_Rick stepped in and it took a moment for them to match each other's pace, but he did it well, and Beth supposed he'd been practiced at it once, she commented on it and he answered that he had to learn for his wedding._

_Judith cried and they all paused, it was Daryl though that picked her up._

'_Is she ok?' Rick worried._

_Daryl nodded, holding the child to his chest. 'Yeah think she just feels left out huh?' He started rocking her to the music and she quietened. _

_Ricks hand slipped from Beth's waist and he stepped towards Daryl._

'_Can't have her have her first dance with anyone but her daddy.' Rick said and Daryl handed her over, and crossed back to sit, secretly happy because dancing was for pussys anyway._

_He froze when he felt the small hand on his shoulder because he knew what was coming, when he didn't look at her she asked anyway._

'_Dance with me Daryl?'_

_He sniffed, and reached for the cards. 'Nah Beth, don't dance.'_

'_Do it for me?'_

_He looked back at her and caught Hershel smiling at him. 'Dun' know how ta.'_

_Beth grinned at that and pulled him to his feet. 'I'll teach you.'_

_Daryl tried to protest but Hershel told him how much Beth loved to dance and how sad he was that he couldn't dance with her for long periods of time. So he let her square of his hips and put his hand carefully on her ribs and let her teach him._

_It was messy and he kept treading on her foot, and at some point Rick handed Judith to Hershel and stepped in showing Daryl a bit until he ghosted behind the man and Daryl finally got it. Once he did Beth stepped in a little closer and he danced through a full song without mistake and Beth leant up and kissed his cheek and thanked him. _

_He glanced to Hershel who smiled and crossed to shake his hand. 'Thankyou Daryl.'_

_Daryl frowned, 'S'just dancing.'_

_Hershel gave him a knowing smile and clarified. 'For taking care of my little girl.'_

Daryl would think about what that meant for weeks, but it wouldn't stop him, and any time Beth would ask someone to dance he'd excuse himself, but it didn't stop him from watching, he noticed it now, that she was always light on her feet, always swaying, dancing with Judith. Her and Maggie would bogey together, any excuse really. That's why he did it, one day she had an argument with Zach... who she never taught to dance. She climbed up the tower and cried her heart out to Daryl, and he hugged her and carefully after she refused to let go he moved his legs and she followed him, and the danced around the watchtower while he hummed for a while.

After that sometimes he'd let her start it, sometimes he'd start it, but whenever they were alone they would dance together.

And one day he would ask, and she would tell him that no one danced with her as well as him, not even her daddy, and he would swell with pride, and he wouldn't feel like a pussy for it.

It was the night he had to tell her about Zach. She hugged him and he didn't want to hug her back, it hurt this time, because he actually liked the boy and it felt wrong, but something didn't, so when she pulled him in and asked him to pray with her he stepped in, but this time he didn't pray, he danced, and he didn't know what had changed about it, but it was different. He pulled her closer against him, so close that he could feel every breath she took, and she could feel the muscles in his stomach stretching as his legs moved, and they danced, legs entangled, thighs slipping between one another, and arms wrapped tightly around each other, and her hand would rest on his heart and he would tuck her head under his chin and they would stay like that for what seemed like hours, and they would feel like one person instead of two, and when they were done he would kiss the top of her head and mumble that he liked to dance.

No one else would know that, no one else would think he did, but Beth knew.

He so liked to dance.

**12.**

**Daryl dreams in Latin.**

Not all the time, he mumbles all sorts of things in his sleep, she sort of knew that, but she didn't know how much he talked until after the prison when they were on the road together. It was then that she discovered it. Those un-intelligible words that he mumbled in his prayers that almost sounded familiar but didn't were much clearer in his dreams, she understood it was another language, and she wondered when a redneck had a chance to learn a second language... honestly he barley mastered English.

It was at the funeral home that she found an old bible and she opened it and realized it was written in words she didn't understand. She cried about it because she so wanted to read something from god.

_Daryl frowned at her before snatching the book and flipping it open, it was somewhere left of the centre where Daryl's voice opened._

'_Fear not, for I am with thee, do not be dismayed for I am your... thy god, I will strengthen you, I will help thee, I will...'_

'_You can read that?' Beth interrupted._

_Daryl simply nodded._

'_What is it?' she asked._

'_Latin.' He answered._

_Beth sniffed and wriggled closer to him. 'Read it in Latin?'_

_Daryl thought for a moment before he looked back to the page. 'Confortavi te, et auxiliatus sun tibi, et suscepti... te dextera iusti meimum...'_

_Beth closed her eyes and finally heard the words that he had uttered for so long, finally they were more than a stupor of words that were too pained to pass his lips, they were a holy language and the made her feel safe._

She never asked him where he learnt them, she wondered maybe if he'd earned it in his protestant church or something, maybe he just read, who knows its Daryl. But slowly she would learn words herself, and she would understand his dreams, and years from now she would hear him utter the words 'Semper te amo.' In a hushed voice in her ear and it would sound more than an _I love you_ because he only speaks to god in that language... and to her. And then one day she would recognize words from his prayer that he hasn't spoken since they left the jail. 'Dimitte me, amandi.' And she would always feel a little sad.

Whenever other people hear him dreaming, they just presume that the words that almost sound like English are just hushed and muddled.

Beth knows tho, that Daryl dreams in Latin.

One thing they all knew about Daryl that Beth didn't.

**1.**

**Daryl has loved her for a long time.**

Beth thinks she knows how people know, she thinks it's because when she stood in the middle of that road, and she looked up and caught their eyes at the same moment the group saw them, she thought it might be the way Daryl dropped his crossbow and bent over in absolute agony. Maggie who was right beside him later told Beth that he was murmuring her name and sobbing like a child.

Beth thought that might be why they know.

She thought it might be because of the way they ran to each other, his legs faster than hers, and maybe it was the way he barrelled into her, holding her to him, muttering a prayer and almost dancing against her as his hands darted everywhere checking and rechecking that she was real and not an apparition, making sure she was uninjured.

Maybe it was that kind of embrace that gave it away.

She thought maybe it was the way that he didn't stop muttering. '_oh-my-god-my-god-oh-god-oh-god-you're-ok-god-oh-my-god-beth-god-i-missed-you.'_ When the group approached. Still she thought maybe they knew because his words switched to, _'i-love-you-i-loved-you-beth-i-love-you-beth-love-never-letting-you-go-love-you-so-much-i-love-you-i-love-you-i-love-you.'_ It was hushed in her ear but as Maggie tried to squeeze in between them and he gave up one half of Beth's body to let her sister hold her also, he refused to let go and continued, loud enough that only Beth and Maggie could hear, but everyone could see the hot tears streaming down his face.

Beth thought it may have been that that told them, or maybe at least Maggie.

Beth thought it could've been the moments after that when he felt Beth's hand curl around him and dig into his ribs as Maggie tried to take her into her arms, and Daryl actually pushed Maggie out of the way and finally pressed his lips to Beth's, not in any way that could be misunderstood, it was powerful and passionate and left Beth feeling weak and begging for more, and he answered it deeper and stronger and they both dropped to the ground, and still he didn't stop, he kissed her for what could have been hours or a mere seconds, Beth wasn't sure time was lost on her.

She thought maybe that's why they knew.

And if it wasn't that it must've been the way that Daryl held her hand all the way back to camp and refused to let it go, even when it made things difficult, like when Beth was hugging people and his hand stayed entangled in hers, even when he was filleting the squirrel that Michonne had caught, and he needed two hands he slipped hers between his leg and his stomach as he knelt, ensuring that it was still tight in his grip before he let it go, and Beth knew Maggie and Rick at least had noticed.

Maybe that was it

Maybe it was the way that when they all went to sleep that night and every night after that Daryl would climb in under Beth's blanket and pull her into him wether people were there to see it or not. And he would confess his love every time regardless if people were close enough to hear or not.

Perhaps that's how they knew.

Beth blushed a little embarrassed when she thought about the drugstore, Glen had pulled the last packet of condoms out from under a shelf and winked at Maggie, and Daryl had snatched them and donked him on the head mumbling about how he'd been waiting long enough.

Beth thought maybe that's at least how Glen knew.

Maybe they all knew because the night that Daryl kicked Glen and Maggie out their tent and dragged Beth in, they'd managed to stay quiet enough, but he couldn't help grunting out a, '_Beth, luv ya.'_ Somewhere near the end, and it was loud enough that they were all sure to hear.

That had to be how they knew.

_Maggie shook her head. 'Nah Beth, I've always known...probably since around the time Judith was born.'_

_Beth crinkled her brow at that, how could Maggie know then? When Beth thinks about it she doesn't even think Daryl knew since then. _

'_Who else knew?' Beth asked._

_Maggie shrugged. 'Everyone, we always did.'_

'_Did daddy know?' Beth asked._

_Maggie nodded. 'And he was so happy... he knows you're safe.' _

_Beth smiled at that. 'I didn't know.'_

_Maggie laughed loud enough for everyone to hear and they all looked at them. 'I know you didn't.' She smiled at her little sister._

Later Beth will ask how long Daryl's known for and he will tell her it's been at least since he started bringing her those damn pansies. She will be mad he didn't tell her sooner, but he will admit that he had to make sure she wanted him.

And he will kiss her and promise he will never keep a secret from her again.

She does wonder though how he kept this one.

But now she knows Daryl has loved her for a long time

There will be one final one he keeps now, but one day when it's irrelevant he will confess it.

**1.**

**He doesn't feel guilty for loving her.**

It's not for another five years when he confesses his final secret to her, he's looking down at their baby, shes almost three now. 'I wanted her to be a girl... so she would be just like you... she's not though.'

Beth furrows her brow at that and he grins at her.

'She's a bit like me... I didn't think anyone could be more perfect than you but...she is you... but better.'

Beth smiled at him. 'I didn't think anyone could make me happier than you...' She told him before leaning down and kissing her daughters sleepy face.

Daryl puts his hand on her belly and smiles. 'I want a son this time, a better version of me.' He admits, and he kisses her belly as if sealing the wish.

'I want it to be a boy too... just like you.'

'I was always scared I wasn't right for ya... now I know we are.' He answered, because he was looking the proof of how right their love was. And never again would she hear him utter those awful Latin words asking for god to forgive him for loving her again. Now he knew, they made each other better.

That was his final secret.

He doesn't feel guilty anymore.

**A/N hope you all enjoyed it, I'm considering writing one from Daryl's point of view if I get enough interest in this one. Hope you all enjoyed, please let me know by leaving a review!**


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